Photos of exhausted doctors and nurses are being shared online in China, as the country pays tribute to the thousands of workers on the frontline of the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
More than 28000 people have been infected with the novel 2019-nCoV virus across the world, but the vast majority of cases are concentrated in Wuhan, in the country's Hubei province, where the disease was first detected.
Since December, hospitals have been inundated with ill patients and medical resources have been stretched.
Photos shared on state-owned media showed tired medics slumped over desks and sleeping on floors of unnamed hospitals, still dressed in their protective clothing.
On social media, people have dubbed the workers "heroes" and "warriors in white".
"They've been fighting for us. They've been battling the virus. They are parents, they are also daughters and sons," the Communist party's newspaper, People's Daily wrote.
Earlier this week, photos also emerged of the marks and sores left on nurses' faces after hours of wearing face masks.
Agonising footage also showed workers in Wuhan breaking down screaming and crying over a lack of sleep.
ANGER OVER 'STOLEN' MASKS
It comes as a second new hospital with 1500 beds built especially for treating virus patients opened in China on Thursday.
Clinical trials for a new antiviral drug, Remdesivir, were also expected to begin.
But towns and cities are still scrambling for medical supplies, in particular protective masks, with one city accusing another of intercepting and 'stealing' a vital shipment on Thursday.
The shipment had been bound for Chongqing – a municipality with 400 cases – but was taken by the government of Dali – a city with only eight confirmed cases in the southwestern province of Yunnan – according to state media.
Chongqing told Dali to give them back, but the Dali government said it had already distributed the 598 boxes of masks and so could not retrieve them.
The spat prompted widespread anger on China's social media, with many users accusing Dali of theft.
Wuhan, meanwhile, has called on public support for protective supplies such as masks and suits.